Collaborative Inquiry

CSC recommends an initial inquiry to understand the current landscape of your community or organization. In the long run, we want to get input from a diverse cross section of your constituents. This can happen in phases, often starting with an internal process, and can include a survey, focus groups, and/or individual interviews.

Training / Workshops

CSC offers introductory workshops as well as ongoing training and education to support our partners in their journeys toward restorative and transformative justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. With the current public health crisis, we are doing most training and workshops virtually. This work can not be accomplished through strictly intellectual means, they require that we bring our full selves to the work. Even as a virtual experience, CSC’s interactive workshops engage participants in dialogue and dynamic activities for an embodied introduction to key concepts, terms, and tools. We will build skills while exploring the connections between culture, institutions, and individual experiences. CSC employs an intersectional anti-oppression and racial equity framework to address the significance of place, identity, and power, both historically and contemporarily. Our facilitation model integrates the arts, somatics, and restorative practices and aligns with nationally recognized standards. Through a combination of large and small group activities participants build shared language and experiences, with individualized opportunities for self reflection and integration. We recommend a 10 to 1 facilitator to participant ratio for effective small group work.

Examples of Workshop / Training Topics

-Disrupting White Supremacy Cultural Norms 

-Embodying Equity: Introduction to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion 

-Racial Equity Foundations   

-Understanding and Interrupting Implicit Bias 

-Restorative Practices & Transformative Justice

-Creative Facilitation & Arts Integration

CIRCLES

Racial Equity Caucusing

People of color and white people are both affected by racism and need to work together to end it. However, how we are affected by racism and the work we have to do is different. Racial Equity Caucuses, also referred to as affinity groups, are times when people of color and white people within an organization or community meet separately in order to do our different work, and come back together to build solidarity and create cross racial accountability processes. Caucus can include individual and collective healing components, as well as action planning toward long term goals.

*Racial Equity Caucuses have been especially impactful in the current climate. The same structure is also used for identity caucusing with any social identity where there is systemic oppression, including but not limited to: gender, age, language, ability, sexual orientation, religion, and socio-economic class.

Empathy Circles

 Empathy Circles are structured opportunities to practice collectively holding space for individuals to be heard, and share feelings and needs related to a shared experience, ie: coping with the realities of racialized trauma, the impacts of the current COVID 19 public health crisis, and the surge in the Black Lives Matter movement. Regular Empathy Circles (monthly / quarterly) can increase individuals’ capacity for empathy when facilitating, as well as strengthening relationships and support systems for facilitators. 

Collaborative Learning Circles (CLC)

To truly create change, the work needs to continue outside of the workshop. CLCs are a great follow up to any workshop, and can also happen independently. They are facilitated opportunities to think critically about relevant concepts, engage in dialogue, utilize the tools, practice skills, and integrate learning individually and collectively. 

Restorative Circles

This is a component of an Intentional process for navigating conflict, repairing harm, and restoring our shared humanity. These happen in 3 phases, and are recommended for transforming interpersonal and organizational conflict into healing and action.

Coaching / Consulting

CSC supports the continuity and cohesiveness of our work with clients and community partners through customized consulting, coaching, and technical assistance. This can be an important aspect of long term organizational change, a throughline for the many moving parts, and gives space for the unexpected. 

Assessment / Planning & Development

Please review our CSC Inclusiveness and Equity Impact Assessment for more about our approach to this essential work.

“Thank you for creating such a safe space for these dialogues; this was one of the most uplifting experiences I’ve had in regards to equity education.”

 “I’ve been in a lot of virtual webinars, classes and meetings and I have to say this was the most engaging, thoughtful and creative experience on Zoom yet!”